The Phonebooth
by 1 Random Person
Summary: Sonoko overhears a rather interesting conversation between Conan and Ran when she sees him in a phonebooth. Whatever will he do? I couldn't resist!


Hello, I have had this account here for a while but have never had time to post anything, though I do do a bit of writing now and then and have random little plot bunnies attack me at random times. Normally I never finish anything to the point where I want to post it, and am somewhat afraid that nobody would read my stuff anyway. Eh, what the heck though.

I have been a Detective Conan fan (among many other shows) forever and this little idea ran through my head the other day and I just had to write it down. I plan for it to be a short two shot, so part two will be coming when I get a chance...

So, without further ado, I hope you enjoy this little bout of crazyness.

**Detective Conan does not belong to me. He belongs to the wonderful Gosho Aoyoma. **

* * *

_That ceremony lasted longer than I expected_, the young woman thought to herself as she excited the ornate stone building yawning, and raised her black umbrella upon seeing that the rain had gotten worse. True it was nothing near torrential, but compared to the mere spritz of a shower that had been occurring before she arrived, this was just going to be a pain in the ass. Plus, her hair was bound to start to frizz any minute, even while under said umbrella. She pulled her black overcoat tightly around her as a cool breeze picked up. _Taku.__At least I'm out of that stuffy room and daddy has his limo_- 

"Honey!" the rather large man interrupted her thoughts as she spun around towards the voice. "Sorry I got held up back there."

"Daddy! There you are!" was her cheerful response as she hurried towards the man waving above the sea of black.

"Don't sound so happy sweetheart, after all, we just left a funeral," the owner of the Suzuki Corporation chided as he raised his own umbrella. His large mustache had already gotten a bit wet and he pulled a handkerchief from his suit pocket with his free hand and dried his face before putting it back.

"A rather boring funeral," the girl pouted.

"Sonoko darling, Tomosato-san was a close business associate of mine. It was very respectful to come, and with your mother out of the country, I appreciate the fact that you accompanied me this evening," the man smiled. "Plus, he lived a long and healthy life. I only hope we all can be so lucky."

"Of course, daddy," the girl replied, then added with a mischevious grin, "…and now the path is clear for you to buy his company…"

"Suzuki Sonoko!" the man exclaimed. "This is hardly-"

"Just kidding! Just kidding!" she replied hastily. "I was only joking."

The man surveyed his daughter with hard, stern eyes- a look that she had learned meant imminent danger as a young child. "Honestly," the man harrumphed before sauntering towards the back parking lot where the family chauffeur had parked. His daughter watched him go, a tiny aura of rain drops bouncing off the top of his umbrella made it appear to slightly glow and she watched his footprints dissipate as more rain fell on where he had just stepped and while more people mulled around either waiting for their companions, their rides, or heading towards the parking lot as well.

_Okay, maybe that was just a little too much._ _I'd better give him a few seconds head start to cool down_, the girl thought. _Geez, it was just a joke. True, he's not __**that**__ mad, so I'd give him a minute tops before I -_

"Sonoko? Is that you?" another voice interrupted her thoughts before she had even begun to mentally keep time in her head. _I'd know that voice anywhere…_she mused excitedly and turned around eagerly, practically whapping a tall woman and her husband with her umbrella who both ducked out of the way just in time and promptly sidestepped as they waited for a cab.

"Makoto-san! Stachibuni!" the girl squealed with glee (much to the surprise of the fellow funeral-goers). "What are you doing here? And you're soaking wet! Do you need an umbrella?" the girl asked with genuine concern practically thrusting it towards him.

"Ah, you're too kind, Sonoko-kun," the boy replied. "But I was just running home from my karate match- it ran a bit late and I promised my father that I would pick up his prescription from the drug store before it closes."

"Do you want a ride?" Sonoko asked anxiously.

"Thanks, but it is only right down the street," the karate champion pointed to the pharmacy no more than a block away, then looked around nervously. "By the way," he started, "would you like to get together sometime and grab some lunch. I haven't gotten to see you that much lately and I'd love to catch up…" he trailed off, a slight blush crossing his cheeks.

Sonoko had to put serious effort into not screeching again like a lunatic as her heart started racing and almost skipped a beat. "Are you kidding? Of course I'd like to!"

"Then I'll give you a call tomorrow and we can work out a time. Is that okay?"

"Absolutely. Now hurry up before the store closes! The faster you get there and back, the faster you can call meeee!!!" she sang.

"All right then. Jaa!" the boy called as he continued on his way, waving as he dashed through the rain.

_Is he cute or what?_ She thought heading around the back of the building to the lot. _No. More than cute. Unbelievably adorable and cute. Plus, he's an athlete, and can protect me from anything- heck, he almost single-handedly took out a vile gang who were trying to attack Ran and me and the glasses brat out in the woods. Ah Makoto-sama…_

Sonoko sighed as she saw her father who was waiting for her by the limo. _Why had they even taken a car? They only lived six blocks away and it would probably take a minute or two to get back… but Makoto-san was just down the street at this very moment. Maybe a walk home in the rain with him would be worth it if she could catch him in time. He would definitely get to the store before it closed- he was probably there right now, and he didn't live too far from her after all…_

"Sonoko, are you getting in or are you just going to stand there?" her father asked, snapping her back to the real world.

"Oh, um… actually, I think I'm going to walk. I just ran into a friend of mine and I want to see if I can catch up with him. If not, I'll just meet you at home," Sonoko assured her father, who eyed her curiously.

"Him? Why am I not surprised. What other excuse would you pull to actually walk in the rain? Just be careful honey."

"Of course daddy," she responded as he slid into the back seat and shut the door. A moment later the engine turned over and the limo was on its way home. "Now, on to Mokoto-san!" Sonoko announced to no one in particular within the quickly diminishing group as she bounded towards the drug store. The rain was starting to let up as well and the evening, though still slightly humid, was bathed in the remnants of the orangy-purple glow from the newly set sun along the horizon that reflected off the remaining wispy clouds. The darkness of the night was only beginning to set in, and the gibbous moon stood out directly above her in the sky. In addition, the sidewalk lights were also beginning to be turned on. _Talk about timing!_

Sonoko rounded the corner only to see said possible future boyfriend jogging up the road back towards his house, a small brown paper bad in hand. He rounded the next corner and was gone just like that.

_Wow, that was fast- he must have called ahead and had it ready to just be picked up and paid for. Looks like I'm too late._ "Too bad he always seems to be on the run- but there's an athlete for you Sonoko," the girl declared to herself. _At least he said he'd call me, but he's getting as bad a Shinichi-kun._ _Well maybe not quite as bad._ _That reminds me, maybe I should give Ran a call and see how she's been managing with her father being sick. I can tell her my good news too. _The girl whipped out her cell phone.

* * *

"Eh, Makoto-San asked you out to lunch? That's wonderful, Sonoko!" Ran beamed as she added some sliced konnyaku and daikon radishes into a pot of simmering dashi broth. "When are you going to meet up with him?" she asked after readjusting the phone so that it sat propped between her head and her shoulder giving her a free hand to stir the oden. 

"Oh, he hasn't called me back yet, but I'll be anxiously waiting." Sonoko replied happily as she walked along the sidewalk towards her house.

"Well I am very happy for you- oh, hang on a sec," Ran stopped, and her best friend heard a faint _calink_, as she put the phone down on the kitchen counter and she rushed back over to the refrigerator for more ingredients. Moments later Sonoko chuckled while still listening to the receiver as she heard Conan plod into the room to report something about the famous detective being extremely cranky and hungry. Ran's muffled response through the receiver included a "Taku!" and "Why don't you wait here in the kitchen. You can be my taste-tester." This was followed by an excited, "okay!" before Ran picked the receiver back up. "Sorry, Sonoko, Tou-san's being a pain - as usual, and poor Conan has had to endure him while I've been down here making dinner."

"You know what I think? You need to get out more, Ran," Sonoko said after a moment's contemplation. "I don't suppose Shinichi-kun has come back and taken you out somewhere fun lately?"

Had Sonoko been in the Mouri kitchen, she would have seen a little boy almost choke on a mushroom- as he could hear the conversation from where he sat- plus Sonoko's loud voice was easy enough to distinguish from anywhere- even as a tinny sound through a receiver. He looked warily around and turned, a bit downtrodden towards his best childhood friend/once potential girlfriend as a peculiar contemplative look was briefly expressed that any adult would have found extremely odd to cross the face of any child, had any been watching. In an instant it was gone though, as if a mask had been lowered across the boy's face as he turned back to the food Ran was handing him in a tiny bowl for approval.

"No, I'm afraid I haven't heard from Shinichi in a while. I get so nervous that something has happened to him or that he's… perhaps forgotten about me…" her voice trailed off as the boy looked towards her, surprised to see tears starting to well up in the corners of her eyes before she quickly wiped them away with a napkin.

"Don't say that Ran," Sonoko reassured her friend. "Shinichi-kun is crazy about you, and don't you forget it!"

"Eh? How do you know?" Ran asked as Conan gave her a thumbs-up along with a goofy smile (which made her stifle a chuckle) and she turned off the stove.

"Just trust me. I know these things." Sonoko replied. "Just like I know you're crazy about him too." The boy looked up as Ran donned some oven mitts and moved the pot onto a holder on the table. "Just give him some more time. I bet he's just in over his with whatever case they have him working on. For all we know he was probably whisked away to America and is working for the secret service there or something. He's a genius after all."

"What?" Ran asked surprised. "He's only 17! Plus, he never said anything about working in America!"

"Relax, Ran. I'm just brainstorming. Why else wouldn't he call you? It obviously makes you very upset and he hates to see you upset. So do I."

"I don't know, but… I have to go, Sonoko," Ran explained, tears welling in her eyes again as she hung up the phone. "Where are you Shinichi?" she whispered to no one, only to be heard by the one she wanted so desperately to reply.

_Baka, I'll always be here, Ran_, was his silent response. _And as soon as I can come back, you better believe I will_, he thought as he watched her make up some bowls for her father and place them on a tray with a drink to bring up to him.

"Conan-kun, I'll make you up another bowl once I bring some to Tou-san, all right?" Ran called from the staircase.

"Don't worry, Ran-nechan, the boy replied, shaken from his thoughts. "I'll get some myself, and then I think I'm going to go out for a little while."

"Well okay, but be careful, it's pretty dark out."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Dr. Agasa wants me to test out his latest video game, so I'll be heading over that way."

"Tell him hello for us then."

"I will" the boy said as he scooped himself a bowl of oden, thinking about just how good it smelled, in addition to a little phone call he was long overdue to make.

* * *

_Well, since I'm out here already, maybe I should pay a surprise visit to Ran_, _and maybe help her out while she takes care of her father_, thought Sonoko as she walked alone back towards her house. _She's always cooking, or whatnot and helping people out. Never does anything for herself anymore. Plus,_ _she always gets so upset when I mention you-know who. I probably shouldn't have said anything, but I was so excited, and Shinichi better make a move soon if he knows what's good for him. Otherwise I'm afraid Ran may actually move on one day…_ _Maybe I'll have to get Makoto-san to beat him up for me and knock some sense into his head. Ahh, Makoto-san…_

The rain had started to pick up again- only a slightly harder drizzle than before, but the girl thrust her umbrella back up like there was no tomorrow- (heaven forbid her hair got even more frizzy)- as she pulled her overcoat even tighter around her. Turning around, she headed towards the Mouri detective agency.

* * *

"What? Dead battery?" groaned the little bespectacled boy as he looked at his (or rather _Shinichi's_ cell phone). "I should have checked it before. Baka!" He had two phones- one belonged to 'Conan' and the other he used to call Ran/Megure-keibu/etc. from as his former self. He noticed that the other phone was charged, but he couldn't very well give her a call from Conan's cell now could he? That would cause some questions later on that he did not feel like lying about. 

_Well there is the old phone booth at the corner_, he remembered, not having had to use it for a very long time. _That may just work_, he thought as he headed towards it, pulling his jacket hood up over his head. It had gotten chillier and the rain was coming down just hard enough to cause streams of water to run down the glass as he felt through his pocket in search for some change. He pushed the door open, paid the fee, and dialed like he had so many times before in the beginning. Holding his voice-changing bow tie close to his mouth, he counted three rings before she picked up.

"Moshi moshi,"

"Hey Ran, Sorry that I haven't had a chance to call and check up on you lately. How have you been?"

"Shinichi!"

* * *

_Was that Conan who just ran into that phone booth? Maybe I was imagining it- all these kids look the same these days_, Sonoko thought as she rounded the corner and headed past the phone booth. She took a glance as she walked by and looked through the glass at the back of the boy's head. _It was the little chibi-chan!_ _Maybe I should say hello_, she considered as she moved up closer to the glass door. The boy seemed completely enthralled in conversation as he faced the phone with his back to her, but the first thing she heard him say sounded a bit off.

"Wow, Ran, that must be terrible having to take care of your father- I know how much of a pain he can be, especially when he's sick. Is Conan helping you out?"

_What the…?_ Sonoko asked herself. _He sounds just like… Shinichi-kun? How is he doing that? Why? …and he's talking to RAN? ... And he sounds like…Shinichi?_ _What IS he DOING?_ She leaned closer to the glass.

There was a brief pause before the boy continued in Shinichi's voice, "Well that's good. I remember when my father had a really bad case of the flu when we were kids. –Oh, you remember that too? Yeah, he really was rather cranky but luckily he recovered, and I'm sure your dad will too. I wish I could help you out, but it's kind of hard where I am right now… I'll have to send him a get well note." (There was another pause.) "Okay then. Anyway, what else is new with-…"

The boy paused. A feeling of terror washed over him; he knew this feeling well- it was the feeling of being watched that he had an innate sense of picking up on, but he hadn't been paying attention. He slowly turned around to see the blurry outline of a somewhat distorted black-clad figure through the wet glass with an equally-black umbrella whose edge came down just far enough to cover the person's face. He froze.

"Shinichi?" came Ran's voice from the other end of the phone. "Are you still there?" The boy hung up the phone.

"My my my," came the voice from outside as the boy trembled from within the booth.

* * *

**Yeah, I know part one is kind of a set-up for part two and is kind of boring, but I wanted to leave off with that cliffhanger. Let me know what you think, as I always would like to improve my writing or just hear what you liked/didn't like. I appreciate it very much. **


End file.
